The Depot On First — Restaurant in Knightdale

I have to say, in rebuttal to some other reviews— this place is not for everyone.

If you are looking for loud and rowdy environment, rushed and depersonalized service, with food you can get anywhere— this is not the place for you.

At The Depot on First, you are met with grace, elegance, and class. Upon arrival, my jaw dropped just from pulling up to the building and hit the ground as soon as I walked inside. It’s so beautiful I added some pictures with the tiny details that pull the whole atmosphere of the restaurant together.

The Depot is an entirely different experience than anything you will (or can) find in Raleigh. This place is the perfect “getaway” as the change of scenery and pace will have you feeling like you’re on vacation, but The Depot is only 20 minutes from downtown Raleigh!

Speaking of Raleigh, did I mention The Depot has its own parking lot placed conveniently behind the building? No need to pay for parking or circle the block!

The Depot prefers reservations to ensure smooth service but also because they really want to get to know you! They remember your names, kids names, and even your favorite place to sit.

The Depot is set up with a small private party room, larger party room, dining room and bar, and a beautiful spacious patio. Giving you multiple options to set the exact ambiance you are looking for.

It is THE perfect place to impress a first date, hold your life’s celebrations, or just enjoy the company of loved ones or your own! Whether the party be large or small. (The patio is PERFECT for a wedding) Trust me, they’ll take great care of you and keep you company.

The chefs pride themselves in their work. They personally come out from the kitchen and ask for feedback on the dishes to not only make sure you enjoyed them, but to explain why some ingredients pair well with others, ask for personal feedback and they share all of this feedback with the owners.

The owners are a lovely couple (I don’t say this lightly), are local, and involved first hand in the community.

The Depot just made a year and they are off to a great start. I cannot wait to see the way The Depot and its employees flourish.

And a PS if you are considering employment here, whether it be FOH or BOH absolutely absolutely absolutely go for it. I have been in the hospitality industry in every position for 12 years now having worked in New Orleans, New York, North Carolina and even overseas and I love this team. They are accommodating, more than willing and happy to sharpen your skills, and we laugh and take care of each other like family.

Lastly, in regards to the review about the lady being confronted about having a beer on the property, I was standing right next to the manager when it happened. It’s unfortunate they felt the way that they did but the manager was simply enforcing the law and cares about the integrity of this restaurant. He was not and is not rude. He is an excellent manager and human being and all around the staff is just great.

Nobody asked me to put this review, but as someone who cares about the reputation and livelihood of restaurants owned by locals, it saddens me to see reviews used as a way to make things personal rather than giving feedback about the restaurant that is fair.

I hope this entices you...

As a resident of Knightdale, I was excited to see this restaurant being built. My wife and I enjoyed great food and service our first few visits, and it was my first choice when booking a Valentine’s Dinner for my wife, my ten year old daughter, and me. I paid the $50 per person reservation fee, and looked forward to a great family night out.

We arrived on time for our reservation, and proceeded to wait 30 minutes before being seated. No problem, I thought - people must be sitting a bit longer than anticipated following their meal. Besides, we were not the only ones as the entrance was crowded with people in the exact same situation, and the bar had to ask the hostess to stop sending people to wait there, as they too were at capacity.

After being seated, we sat for 10 minutes before anyone approached us. Again, I said nothing, recognizing that the restaurant may have been a bit ambitious with the timing of their reservations. That much was clear by looking around the room at other couples who seemed to be sharing our experience.

We placed our orders, and then proceeded to wait more than hour before our food was brought. Again, I said nothing, for the reasons set forth above. However, upon my first bite of the $80 wagyu, I was taken aback by how cold it was. (I say this as someone who only eats his steak rare). My wife and daughters’ medium steaks was similarly cold to the touch. All were cold enough that I had food safety concerns.

At this point my grace had been eroded, and I let the waitress know that we would not be eating the food and just wanted our check for my drinks and the food that we had eaten. I was told by the waitress that the owner said, despite all of the above, I would have to pay for the meal in its entirety, including the 20% large party surcharge they were including for the Valentine’s Day dinner crowd. I have questions about the pusillanimous character of a business owner who would let the waitress be the one to deliver a message like this, and asked if I could at least speak to the owner if that was going to be the position he was taking.

When I spoke with the owner there was zero empathy, remorse, or apology - the only statement he made was that “You ordered the food, you are going to have to pay for it.” To be clear - this isn’t a case where I raised a complaint only after eating the meal.

I rarely leave reviews (I think there are only a few associated with my account) and even more rarely leave negative reviews for small, local business. However, I was shocked by the lack of accountability shown by the owner. Rather than make a public showing of my discord, I agreed to pay the bill so that I could try to salvage a fun family night out. I hope he is in dire need of the $374.49 that he felt that he and his restaurant earned by seating us late, letting an understaffed waitstaff serve us, and serving us “fine dining” so cold that I did not feel comfortable eating.

Needless to say I will not be going back to this establishment, or anything associated with the Knightdale...

My husband and I decided to try The Depot on First based on the positive reviews, but were quite underwhelmed and disappointed by the quality of the food for the price point.

My main issues were: 🔴The ceviche we ordered as a starter was very bland. All I tasted was lemon juice, with no other flavor dimensions. Unlike traditional ceviche, there were no vegetables. I understand a restaurant can do their own version or take on a dish, but I felt this did not deliver. My rating: 4/10.

🔴I got the lobster tail with a side of brussel sprouts as my main dish. The dish came lukewarm, but the lobster tasted well. However, the brussel sprouts were hard and hard to chew on. The server offered alternative vegetables, and I chose the asparagus which was really good. My rating for the original dish: 6/10. The asparagus on its own: 10/10.

🔴The manager came to our table, we spoke with him about the aforementioned issue, and he mentioned crème brûlée was their GF option, which we chose. From my conversation with him - which I may have misunderstood - he stated “I’ll take care of it”, and so we thought it would be on the house based on the issue with my main dish, but we got charged for it. Like I said, I may have misheard him. The crème brûlée looked really good - the presentation for all of the dishes was good by the way. However, it was really gritty inside when typically this dessert is supposed to be more of a smooth texture. The taste was still good, but I did not enjoy the grittiness. My rating: 7/10.

Overall the food was quite disappointing and overpriced for what we got.

🟢What was really good was my drink - which was a Paloma. That cocktail was perfect! And like I mentioned above, the asparagus. 🟢My husband also ordered the manicotti, which was of good size and he enjoyed it. 🟢Service was also good - Stephanie was our server. She was attentive throughout the entire meal. 🟢The restaurant in itself was also nice - looks beautiful both on the inside and outside.

For the food quality and price point, I would not recommend it. I’ve had better seafood dishes at STIR in North Hills, and 42nd Street Oyster Bar and Cortez Seafood in Downtown Raleigh. We will be driving a little further...